American character actor specializing in villainous types, much in television. A native of New York City, Merlin studied at P.S. 15, Mangin Junior High School, Grace Church Choir School for Boys, and Stuyvesant High School. During the Second World War, he served as a torpedoman in the U.S. Navy in both Atlantic and Pacific Fleets. Upon return to ...
[on playing "heavies"] One of the disadvantages of being a "good guy" is having to look heroic and clean cut, while the "heavy" can be as grungy as he pleases...or sometimes wears far more fancy duds than his pursuer...maybe even be better looking!
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Fact
1
Served in the US Navy during World War II.
2
Interviewed in Tom Weaver's books "Earth vs. the Sci-Fi Filmmakers" (McFarland & Co., 2005), "I Talked with a Zombie" (McFarland & Co., 2008) and "A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde" (McFarland & Co., 2010).
3
First stage role in Hollywood was with Barbara Britton and Carleton Young in the three-character mystery play "The Woman with Red Hair." His second was in the premiere of "Kataki" in 1960.
4
He won an Emmy as a writer for Another World (1964) (TV daytime series) in 1975, and was nominated again in 1979.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
A Child Lost Forever: The Jerry Sherwood Story
1992
TV Movie
Jury Foreman
Guns of Paradise
1991
TV Series
Joe Miller
After the Shock
1990
TV Movie
Mr. Wallace
False Identity
1990
Potter - Pete
Buried Alive
1990
TV Movie
Attorney
Silk 2
1989
Hancock Gish
Dallas
1989
TV Series
Jacob
Time Trackers
1989
Max Barker
Nowhere to Run
1989
Mr. Groker
Permanent Record
1988
Minister
The Gladiator
1986
TV Movie
Man #2 in Class
The A-Team
1985
TV Series
Colonel Donald Davis
Riptide
1985
TV Series
Hub Wheeler
Covenant
1985
TV Movie
Karl
Tales of the Gold Monkey
1983
TV Series
Mr. Rhinehold
Tales of the Unexpected
1977
TV Mini-Series
Philip Mitchell
Switch
1976
TV Series
Bradner
The Hindenburg
1975
Speck
Baretta
1975
TV Series
Slater
Judgment: The Court Martial of Lieutenant William Calley
1975
TV Movie
Capt. Briggs
Little House on the Prairie
1974
TV Series
Jon Nordstrom
The F.B.I.
1969-1974
TV Series
Colfax / Andy Clay / Frank Wanderman
The Slams
1973
Saddler
I Escaped from Devil's Island
1973
Rosenquist
Search
1973
TV Series
Timothy O'Toole
The Twilight People
1972
Steinman
Cade's County
1972
TV Series
Rennie Lassiter
Mission: Impossible
1969-1971
TV Series
Leon / Captain Danko
Mannix
1970
TV Series
Vodich
Take the Money and Run
1969
Al - Bank Robber
Strategy of Terror
1969
Jon
Garrison's Gorillas
1968
TV Series
Gen. Von Rauschnig
Ironside
1968
TV Series
Luther Zahn
The Invaders
1968
TV Series
Post
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre
1967
Willie Marks
The Time Tunnel
1967
TV Series
Centauri
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
1964-1967
TV Series
Lt. Froelich / Henderson / Victor Vail
The Fugitive
1966
TV Series
Jan Karac
Jericho
1966
TV Series
Lt. Karl Linck
Combat!
1966
TV Series
Lt. Geiben / Erich
Tarzan
1966
TV Series
Hacker
12 O'Clock High
1966
TV Series
Major Paul Strasser / Colonel Grulov
The Oscar
1966
Actor Frankie Pulls Knife on (uncredited)
The Long, Hot Summer
1966
TV Series
Woody Woodruff
Branded
1966
TV Series
Jim Darcy
The Legend of Jesse James
1965
TV Series
Jesse's Imposter
Guns of Diablo
1965
Rance Macklin
Kraft Suspense Theatre
1965
TV Series
Jon
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
1964
TV Series
Angel Galley
Gunsmoke
1964
TV Series
Ed Sykes
The Virginian
1964
TV Series
Sam Lake / Reese
The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters
1964
TV Series
Rance Macklin
The Lieutenant
1964
TV Series
Lt. Joe Worth
Gunfight at Comanche Creek
1963
Nielson
The List of Adrian Messenger
1963
The Whistling Man / The Clergyman / The Workman / ... (uncredited)